Sorry it’s just business!

                      

                    “The best way to predict the future is to create it”

                             -Divine Bradley

 

          I wonder what the complexion of the global scene would be if, in mass, those of Afrikan origin would start to have conversations and strategy sessions about the state of our economic reality.  How quickly would the condition of our collective existence change if we looked at how and why we conduct the business of life the way we do? Personally I know not how fast we could turn our situation around, but I do know a conversation that would help immensely.

          The fact is we are at a major disadvantage when it comes to our material well being.  Reason being, collectively we control nothing.  Worse than that, many who are in a position of wealth and resource control think like our oppressors! That is to say by their actions it is safe to conclude they are in alignment with the capitalist demons who designed this system.  The weird part is we suffer not for lack of money.  By 2015 it is estimated by Nielsen that our buying power will be 1.1 trillion dollars.  So money by and large is not the problem.  HOW and WHERE we use it is however.   

          Education, food, shelter, clothing, communication and transportation are the sciences we should be investing in.  For example let’s take a look at the so called Jews.  “in the age of the great industrial expansion their role was outstanding in three particular economic areas: in the textile and clothing field, in banking and finance and in the development of a new kind of merchandising such as the department store and mail order business”-Eric Hirshler writing on German Jews.  But how did they achieve this?  It’s quite simply actually- CULTURE!

          By making ownership a part of their very fabric of life they have secured a lasting legacy for future generations. If we were to combine that mindset with a template of passage into adulthood we would actually make some headway.  Consider this: “The Afrikan rites we develop for our sons must instill/teach:

          Respect of the Creator, nature and the Afrikan nation

          Respect for our elders

          Respect for our women

Respect for male/female relationships

Self –Discipline (resilience and determination)

Self –Defense and defense of family

Fiscal responsibility

Sexual Morality

The role and responsibility of Fatherhood

The role and responsibility of Brotherhood

Our story

Critical thinking skills

          Remember that these requirements are designed for initiates in middle to high school (13-18).  They should be modified for males in younger and older age grade cohorts” –Asafo (Mwalim K Bomani pg. 128).

Now that sounds like a plan!  By accepting the simple truth that we are in a war for our very survival we can begin to set goals far beyond the notion of “equality” It is clear from study and experience that economic science must be incorporated in our struggle to a greater effect.  Whether it is simply starting a family business or the total revamping of our behavior towards white supremacy, our economic skill level will determine our fate.

Now that sounds like a plan!  By accepting the simple truth that we are in a war for our very survival we can begin to set goals far beyond the notion of “equality” It is clear from study and experience that economic science must be incorporated in our struggle to a greater effect.  Whether it is simply starting a family business or the total revamping of our behavior towards white supremacy, our economic skill level will determine our fate.

Waking up is hard to do.  Waking up to the fact that to many you are not even a human being; you are just data on a spreadsheet is rough stuff.  Our cooperation in their design will determine the size of the bonus these people receive. It is a very simple equation.  But must our survival be so cold?  Is it all about how much capital we have?  I say no!

Eco alludes to environment. Capital in our situation represents our ability to purchase the items (raw materials, licenses, etc.) needed to build and maintain our life as we wish.  This is the ends justifying scenario.  Regulation of the events in a given environment occurs naturally. So it is a given that we too need regulation in our environment, cultural checks and balances if you will.  In the end we must have a stalwart economic army against incursion by white supremacy. 

The nature of these beings will not allow for true diplomatic relations in regards to sharing resources.  “Knowing that under every condition and every circumstance that the European is visualize and pursue an absolute supremacy over all others renders making peace in order to change the oppressor wishful thinking” (Asafo).  Look deeply at world history, not just at our story.  European history is fraught with war, fratricide and genocide.

          This is not to say the Afrikan has not had his fair share of internal conflict. But by and large we are a much more historically peaceful people.  Tolerance and unity is our trademark; savagery and division is theirs.  So doesn’t it make sense to protect ourselves on the economic front as well?  We should be buying and selling to other Afrikans at a much higher rate.  We should be importing and exporting Afrikan products to each other.  We should be teaching each other to invest in mutual funds, stocks and bonds with the express intent to amass wealth to take care of OUR infrastructure. Our companies should stay in our hands and cater to our culture period.  In closing we will do well to remember the words of the great John Henry Clarke:

“Everything that touches your life must be an instrument of your liberation or it must be discarded.” Ashe.

    

    

No Disrespect

Is just being there enough?

When the contradictions of reality confront us on the daily

Bentleys, 1000$ bottles, fiat bills tossed carelessly

Strip club filled with smoke and sex

Outside yellow tape, blood soaked concrete

Justified shootings when done by police

Senseless crime any other time, done by young black men who share similar eyes to mine

No activity, but lip service

Millions in the bank, yet no schools run by whom?

The ones who made it, captured the so called American dream

See I take issue with those who think we should be star struck, by sales on iTunes

While another sisters womb is desecrated

By he who spouts lyrics produced by whom?

Charity is more than presence

It is love perfected, social justice meted out

By care and compassion

Honoring the ones who stepped here

Carved paths out the rocky hearts

With tools of sweat, blood bones and tears

Peace

Are you an American or are you pretending?

Red, white and blue, these colors are now linked to the collective consciousness as America’s colors. Now to anyone who studies history should be familiar with different cultures and societies use of these colors.  However this is not a point by point breakdown of these colors.  No, this is a question of loyalty.

          It is no secret that an atrocity was committed against our people on a global scale.  This unfortunately, in the realm of human experience is nothing new.  Our red brothers were systematically wiped out. 

The Kurds—gassed.  The”Jews” holocaust rings bells everywhere.  We also have “lesser” versions of this same phenomenon: discrimination against Muslims, Christians, Gays come to mind.  Sometimes—quite often actually—these expressions galvanize, unite a group of people to create various proactive measures to ensure this never happens again.

          In fact power grabs often occur after these life/civilization altering events happen.  So, where is our united, sustained effort to seize and hold power over ourselves?  From the time after the so called emancipation of our people, a dual consciousness, created by the divide and conquer tactics employed on the psychological battlefield, emerged. 

          On the one hand, we desired and made real a life in which we determined our own existence.  Then on the other hand we wanted to sit at our oppressors tables as equals.  In a way this was to be expected.  As a people something unique was forced upon us.  We were made out to be less than human, we had our story wiped out and replaced with a pale imitation of our true glory.  Our social system completely decimated, bombarded with images and words depicting us as inferior beings, so we latched on to the only image of success we had—our captors. 

          See we really have been tricked.  We have been played by one of the oldest psychological ploys in the book.  It is human nature to desire inclusion.  The group mentality is the reason why nations are formed.  From numbers arise strength, isolation breeds vulnerability.  Factor in this, for centuries we have been mocked, ridiculed, told our culture made us less than human.  We were defeated by an enemy with superior firepower, not intellect; only a nature more viscous than our own.  Once captured, each resistance was met with force.  Force of deed, force of words and force of polices conspired to drum any sense of self determination out of our people. 

          Of course such things are temporary and incomplete, and our struggle continues. Nat Turner transforming into Garvey and the like show our resistance to social engineering. 

Yet here we are, subject to laws restricting our right to self rule, while being held to standards of worth not our own.  See it clearly, by destroying the warrior class by incarceration, chemicals and separating man and woman in terms of solid values a void in our culture defense was opened. Simultaneously providing the bare necessities (and an opportunity for a few to achieve riches) –food, clothing, shelter, transportation, communication and outlets of entertainment-we slowly assimilated to the “American Dream”.

          So now here we are 2013.  Many of our brothers and sisters chase the American dream or the African nightmare.  European capitalistic dreams of wealth, status, and society have corrupted our people!  An authentic African society is the farthest thing from many of people’s mind.  Even the token Black Nationalist sentiment expressed by Booker T Washington, “In all things purely social we can be separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” This small seed of a Nation built for us and by us has been mutated into a fake brand of co-operation between the human races.  How can we truly co-operate on an equal playing field when we do not speak our own language?  When we do not make nor enforce our own laws and customs?  How can we be equal when pertinent education regarding manufacturing, distribution and economics have been sucked out of our community? And we haven’t even touched on the disparity in political education!

          No, we must seek the root and be not afraid of the bitter taste of separation. A psychological trick being played on a socio-political economic stage is occurring now.  But let us backtrack for a little context. The Atlanta compromise, spoken by Booker T Washington, spoke volumes about the state of the African, then called Negro shortly after slavery.  Booker t was a brilliant man.  His ideas should continue to be studied and implemented. But he was just a man.  In 1895 he was lauded as the leader of the African –American masses.  This template of the dominate structure raising an “acceptable negro” as the spokesperson for our people continued for quite sometime. Indeed in more recent times, one needs to look no further than Jesse Jackson vs. Khalid Muhammad to see what is meant by acceptable vs. uncomfortable!

          In Booker T Washington’s case the psychological trauma of slavery can be seen all throughout his work.  Subservience, humility, and general policy of “don’t rock the boat” are key themes throughout his work; no fire, no anger, no real wish to separate and carve out a nation to rival our ancestors.  If I may, allow me to go slight off point; ask your brothers or sisters: Are you an American or a descendant of African born prisoners? Listen to the answers and don’t be shocked at what you hear.

          Now, the by product of generations of rape, literally and metaphorically runs deeps.  Deep within our genetic code, and deep within the recesses of our mind we know something is just not right.   We are not perfect, nor are we collectively without blame.  But the lack of desire to do for self does not balance well with the desire to adhere to the standards of people who are not us.  This is beyond color.  This is a matter of principle, of culture.  America and her allies are the worst hypocrites.  They profess equality, yet undermine any attempt at self rule.  Division, war and intolerance are the overt weapons of her polices.  A nation founded on the backs of the Original Man, the blood of humans cannot last.  African, wake up and claim your birth rite!

          A nation built by you, run by you for the benefit of humanity is our right to claim. The choice is yours.  So, in closing I ask that you study our story, their story and then answer this:  Are you really or an American or are you pretending?

          Peace.